Aloha

2 August – Thursday

This is it – the final day of our holiday! The time in Hawaii has been good, we have really done very little but have enjoyed relaxing. It is going to be quite a shock to the system to have to not only get our own breakfast, but actually start cooking meals again. However, not living out of a suitcase will be good.

The food in Hawaii has been much healthier than that in Anaheim. We have been able to have fruit and salads with our meals here – so much different to the carbohydrate heavy diet of the Californians.

A quiet morning today, with a visit to the Iolani Palace and the Mission Houses, then some final shopping before the task of trying to fit everything into our suitcases. Thank goodness for trolley cases!!!

Hanauma Bay

1 August – Wednesday

This morning we took the bus to Hanauma Bay – the bay is the remains of a volcano that collapsed into the sea. The actual bay is very beautiful, with a coral reef, palm fringed beach and tourists, of course. The bus route took us through some nice housing areas, different to the usual areas that public buses transverse. We also followed the shore line for quite a while as well.

This southern area of the island is very volcanic in nature, with very little vegetation and a volcanic shoreline – quite stunning in its on way and completely different from the lush rain forest on the sharp-ridged mountains of the eastern side. For those of you who remember the television series “Magnum PI,” Rabbit Island (which featured in the series) is in this area. Just after we arrived at Hanauma Bay, an air raid siren sounded for a few minutes – it certainly left the tourists standing and wondering! One of the locals told us the sirens are tested at the beginning of every month and they are sounded in the event of something “major.”

Tonight we finally had my birthday dinner at a lovely restaurant right on the beach, no windows, beachside table, palm trees, glorious sunset (be prepared for sunset photos!) and a beautiful meal. Les has crab stuffed mahi mahi (local fish) and I ordered Hawaiian sea bass coated with macadamia nuts and bananas. Unfortunately, when it can it was absolutely smothered in chopped up capsicum. The nice waiter was very understanding, returned it to the kitchen and the chef cooked me another meal without the capsicum.

Polynesian Cultural Centre

31 July – Tuesday

Today was a full day and evening getting to and at the Polynesian Cultural Centre, situated at the north of the island. The Cultural Centre is run by the Mormon Church and “attached” to Brigham Young University, therefore, is staffed both by students and professionals. Each of the Polynesian countries has their own “village” and events, as well as taking part in the main evening show. The complex is very well laid out, with many tropical plants and water. Also, being on the windward (or rainy) side of the island, not only was the weather extremely hot but extremely humid!

The bus trip from Waikiki involves a change of buses at Ala Moana Centre and takes approximately 2 hours in total. The trip home was a little quicker as there were less passengers and less traffic. When we boarded the return bus, there were 2 teenage girls (about 14) already on board and one of them was very busy applying her make-up and the other texting. They kept this up virtually all the way to Ala Moana – Les was absolutely intrigued that so much make-up could be applied to one face and that it could take so long! I just admired the girl’s ability to apply on a bouncing bus, not only mascara but eyeliner without getting it all over her face or taking out an eye. Of course, once we changed buses for the 10 minute ride to Waikiki, the make-up had to be touched up! We wondered if their parents knew they were nightclubbing in Waikiki.